Topaz Costs More ,but It's Same As Tempo

Click and Clack

August 19, 1993|By Tom and Ray Magliozzi, King Features Syndicate

QUESTION: I am interested in purchasing either a Ford Tempo or a Mercury Topaz. The Mercury dealer says they are different, which explains why the Mercury costs more. Yet physically they look the same. Please explain.

Mandel

Tom: They're exactly the same car, Mandel. The Mercury dealer is trying to buffalo you.

Ray: We looked up both cars in our AutoNet database just to see. And here is the most significant difference we found: Under ''Standard Features,'' the Topaz lists ''Nomenclature: Mercury under driver's side headlamp and on right side of deck lid.'' To the best of my knowledge, you can't get that on the Ford Tempo.

Tom: There are two possible explanations for why the Mercury costs more. One is that it may have different optional equipment added to it. For instance, if the particular Mercury Topaz you're looking at has a fancy radio or power windows, and the Ford Tempo you looked at doesn't, that could explain the difference in price.

Ray: The other explanation is simply a marketing one. Some people perceive a Mercury as being fancier than a run-of-the-mill Ford. So the Mercury dealers can charge a little more for a Ford Tempo that says ''Mercury Topaz'' on it.

Tom: So if you're not overly concerned about your image (and judging from the cars you're considering, you're not), then get the Ford if it's cheaper. It's the same exact car, and besides, the Ford dealer isn't trying to pull a fast one on you.

Question: My wife owns a 1987 Nissan Sentra. She is always concerned about the temperature gauge reading close to or at the end of the ''H'' range. This happens especially while going up hills on hot days. The dealership checked it and diagnosed the thermostat as the problem. They changed it, but the problem still occurs. We changed the thermostat again one year later. Still not much of a difference.

We've changed the radiator cap, flushed out the radiator and added new antifreeze, as was suggested by the dealership. Still no change. Neither the radiator nor the water pump leak, and all the belts are fairly tight and new. Is it normal for this make and model to be doing this? Please help put an end to this frustration.

John

Tom: This car is certainly old enough to have a plugged-up radiator, John. And flushing out the radiator with a bottle of ''radiator tidy bowl'' you buy at an auto parts store is not necessarily going to clean it.

Ray: You really should take the car to a radiator shop. They'll take the radiator out and ''flow test'' it. If they determine that the passages inside the radiator are clogged, then there are a couple of choices.

Tom: They can try acid-bathing it. I used to do that to my brother when Mom wasn't around. If that doesn't work, they can always replace the radiator.

Ray: And if the radiator's flow turns out to be fine, then I would suspect a weak water pump or even a leaky head gasket. Good luck.

Question: My 1986 Olds Cutlass uses two quarts of oil for every gas fill-up. The car appears to be burning oil because there is no leak. I can't afford a new motor or car. Is there something else I can do? Will the condition continue to worsen?

Irene

Tom: The answers to your questions, Irene, are no and yes.

Ray: No, there's really not much you can do. And yes, the condition will continue to get worse.

Tom: The first thing you should do is confirm that it is burning the oil, because an oil leak would be easier to fix. Your mechanic can check this for you.

Ray: If it is burning oil, it's just going to get worse. The best you can hope for is to slow the rate of degeneration.

Tom: My guess is that the engine's rings are shot and that oil is seeping past them and into the cylinders where it's being burned. This is what happens to cars when they get old or, in your case, when they don't get the proper care.

Ray: And while it's too late to save this car, Irene, there are a couple of things that might help. You might try changing the oil more frequently. Dirty oil burns faster than clean oil. And we've noticed that people who add oil to their cars think that adding oil is the same as changing the oil. But it's not. When you add oil, you replace the oil that has been burned, but you never get rid of the sludge, the nuts and bolts, and the scrap Navy warships that are floating around in there. So changing your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles may help.

Tom: You should also make sure you're using the right oil. This car calls for 5W-30. Lots of mechanics - and even dealerships - use 10W-40 out of habit. This is another misconception. People think that thick oil burns more slowly than thin oil. But that's not true either. Using 5W-30 may, in fact, slow down your oil consumption.

Tom: But these are just Band-Aids, Irene. Sooner or later (probably sooner), you're going to need a new car, or at least an engine rebuild. So change your oil more often and start saving your pennies.